Draft gear



Oct. 19 1926.

l t O o h 4 S t 6 e h s 5 N a w w mm I m m IM on d c m A m INVENTOFH 4 Oct. 19 1926. 1,603,661

' A. CHRISTIANSON DRAFT GEAR Filed Apfil 16, 1925 a Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR against vertically Patented Oct. 19, 19 26.

UNITED STATES 1,603,661 PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW GHRISTIANSQN, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT GEAR.

Application filed April 16, 1925. Serial No. 28,649.

My invention relates to draft gear attachments such as are used in railroad cars and the like, and has for its object the provision of draft gear structure of such form that it may be more conveniently assembled and disassembled for the purpose of making replacements and repairs than those structures heretofore employed.

Another object of my invention is to simplify and improve draft gear attachments generally.

I Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a partial plan and partial sectional view of draft gear structure embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the structure of Fig.1; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views taken on the lines 4-4, 5-5, .6-6,

respectively, of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a partial ed form of draft gear structure; Fig. 8 is a side elevational sectional view thereof, and

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of the structure of Fig. 8.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 6, ll rovide draft sill structure having side p ates 10 which may be of somewhat the usual form and secured to the car body in any desired manner. members 10 ll mount a striking casting 11 which is of eneral rectangular form and is riveted to t e side members 10, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. The forward vertical edges of the casting 11 are flanged outwardly at 12 and seat against the ends of the draftsill members 10. The casting 11,

\ adjacent to its rear ortion, is provided with 14: at each side thereof.

between the ribs 13 and 14:. The bottom flanges are perforated for the reception of ins 18 upon which the lower ends of lockmg pins 17 rest.

A carry iron 21) is mounted within the forward end of the casting 11 and seats disposed ribs 21 formed jacent to the forward edge of the cing 11. The lower ortion of the carry iron 20 is recessed as SlOWIl more clearly in Fig. 2. A bolt 22 lies within said recess and the ends thereof extend through openings in the sidesv of the casting 11 and the draft Between the forward ends of the sill members 1 0, to detachably secure said carry 1ron 20in position.

"To-the rear of the striking cast-in 11 a top plate 24 is riveted to the upper edges of the plates 10, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 6, and a bottom plate 25 is secured to the lower edges of the plates 10, to assist in enclosin the mechanism which will be hereinafter escribed.

A coupler shank 26 extends rearwardly into the striking casting 11 and between the forward extrem1ties of a yoke 27 which ma be of the usual form. A pin 28 exten through the rear end of the coupler shank and the legs of the yoke 27, to connect these members together in the usual manner.

A rear follower block 29 extends through the yoke 27 and seats against angles 30 that are riveted to the rear ends of the members 10. A front follower block 31 is disposed between the legs of the yoke at their forward ends and seats against the rear sides of the pins or keys 17. The keys 17 are the coupler shank 26, yoke 27 and followers 29 and 31 are transmitted to the ribs 13 on the striking casting. The keys 17 and the ribs against which they seat provide extensive im act area for the pulling strains.

When t e parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, it will be seen that pulling strains are taken by the ribs 13 of the striking casting 11 and that bufling strains are primarily imposed against the follower 29 and abutments 30, but at maximum compression of the draft gear sprin im not is also made a ainst the forward edge 0 said casting an the carry iron 20. When it is desired to-remove the draft rigging, which consists shown), and the coupler shank, the locking keys 17 may be lifted out, the bolt 22 removed, and the carry iron 20, which serves as a vertical support for the coupler sha, removed. The coupler shank, yoke and follower plates may then be withdrawn through the forward end of the striking casting. lhe removal of the carry iron 10 permits said parts to be lowered to pass the lien ed stigiking portion 33 of the casting 11 lg. 2

The arrangement above described avoids the necessity of lifting the draft rigging mechanism into the draft sill from beneath the car, which is a dicult and tedious of the yoke, follower blocks, a spring (not operation, and permits repairs of the draft rigging to be conveniently made without placing the car in the shops. If the weight of the rigging is too great to permit the workmen to manually replace it in the draft sill, the rear end of the y6ke 27 may be moved i nto the striking casting a short distance and a kocomotive'then backed against the coupler to force the rigging rearwardly into proper position, after which the keys 17 may be dropped into place and the carry iron 20 and the bolt 22 put in position.

Referring now to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I show a structure which is somewhat similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 6, in that a yoke 27 is mounted between draft sill members 10, and a striker casting 11*, held in place by a locking pin 17*, is provided. In this latter form of construction, however, it is not necessary that the forward lower edge of the striking casting be inclined downwardly as is the casting 11 of Fig. 2, since instead of forming a striking flange 33 on the casting 11 as in Fig. 2, I provide, as shown more clearly in Fig. 8, a striking member 33 that is pivoted to the striking casting at 34. A'carry iron 20 is held in position by a bolt 22 in somewhat the same manner as is the carry iron 20, and serves to support the .coupler shank 26 and to assist in taking impacts imposed against the forward end of the structure.

The bolt 22*, adjacent to its ends, rest in slots 37 formed in the end of the sill member 11 and open at their forward ends. The bolt is thus removable in a direction longitudinall of the draft sill. To normally hold t e bolt 22 in place, I provide washer-like members 36 that have oppositely bent flanges at their front and rear edges, as shown in Fig. 7. Each rear flange engages a boss or lug on the draft sill member 11 to prevent accidental movement of the bolt from the slots, and the front flange may serve as a nut lock, to prevent rotative movement of the bolt or the nut, as the case may be.

When it is desired to remove the coupler shank 26, the yoke 27', and associated arts,

the key 17 and the bolt 22 are with rawn and the coupler shank may then be pulled forwardly, either manually or by a locomotive or other car coupled thereto. During this movement the striking late 33 wil swin in a counter clockwise irection about its pivot 35, permittin the yoke and follower plates to pass, t ereby rendering it unnecessary to flare the forward end of the casting l1.

I claim as my invention:

1. Draft gear structure comprising laterally spaced draft beam members, a hollow Etrikin casting secured between the forward ends 0 said beam members, a yoke disposed between said beam members, a followerplate extendin through said yoke, laterally spaced a utments on the interior of said casting, removable locking lqeys disposed between said abutments and said follower plate, and a removable coupler shank guide on said striking casting.

2. Draft gear structure comprising later: ally spaced draft beam members, a hollow striking casting secured between the forward ends of said beam members, a yoke disposed between said beam members, a follower plate extending through said yoke, laterally spaced abutments on the interior of said casting, removable locking pins disposed between said abutments and said follower plate, and a member removably mounted at the front of said casting and partially closing the open end thereof.

3. Draft gear. structure comprising laterally spaced draft beam members, a hollow striking casting secured between the forward ends of said beam members, a yoke disposed between said beam members, a follower plate extending through said yoke, laterally spaced abutments on the interior of said castings, removable locking keys disposed between said abutments and said follower plate, and a. member mounted at the front of said casting and partially closing the open end thereof, the said member being positioned to afford vertical support to a coupler shank.

4:. Draft gear structure comprising laterally spaced draft beam members, a hollow striking casting secured between the for- Ward ends of said beam members, a yoke disposed between said beam members a follower plate extending through said yoke, laterally spaced abutments on the interior of said casting, removable locking pins disosed between said abutments and said folower plate, and a member mounted at the front of said casting and partiall closing the 0 en end thereof, the said mem r being positioned to receive impacts against the forward end of said casting.

5. Draft gear structure comprising side sill members laterally spaced for the reception of draft gear structure therebetween, and means for preventing withdrawal of a follower plate or the like in a direction longitudinally of said members, comprising vertically disposed stop members, keys seating against said stop members, and removable holding members adjacent to the lower edge of the stop members, for supporting sald keys against downward movement.

6. Draft gear apparatus comprising longitudinally recessed beam structure ada ted to receive draft ri ging, a vertically d1s osed stop member adjacent to the forwar end of said beam structure, and a key releasably supported against withdrawal in a downwarddirection, the said key extending into said recess in position to engage the forward surface of a portion of the draft rigging through 'said draft sill structure in position to prevent Withdrawal thereof from the to engage the rigging, and means detach- 10 beam structure. ably connected to the lower side of said sill 7. The combination with draft sill strucstructure for limiting downward movement time and draft rigging contained therein, of of the key.

means for preventing Withdrawal of the In testimonywhereof I, the said ANDREW draft rigging in a longitudinal direction, Unrerermnson, have hereunto set my hand. comprising a key extending vertically ANDREW CHRISTXANSQN. 

